Social Emotional Counselling Service at Dulwich

At Dulwich International High School Suzhou, we place students at the very centre of everything we do. Through developing, knowing and caring for everyone, we enable young people to thrive in their chosen university and beyond so that they make a positive difference in the world. Social Emotional Counselling is one of the ways we take our mission statement of “Grow in Dulwich, Thrive in Life”  and make it a reality.

Our students’ wellbeing is of critical importance to us as we strive to equip our students with good coping strategies and with the social skills they will need to live well in the world outside school. In today’s quickly changing world, the characteristics of adaptability, confidence, imaginative problem solving, perseverance, and the ability to learn quickly are essential for success.

The role of our School's social-emotional counsellors is to help address students social/emotional needs within the context of our school environment. School counsellors have unique training in helping students with any social or emotional issues that may become barriers to their academic success or prevent them from realising their full potential. All our students know that there is always someone that they can talk to about any problems they have, no matter how big or small and that they will be listened to in a non-judgemental environment.

We recently interviewed our Social Emotional Counselling team and you can read the edited highlights of the interview below:

 1  Can you explain briefly what a Social-Emotional Counsellor is and does?

A Social and Emotional Counsellor is someone who provides individual or group counselling to help students to:

• Achieve academic goals
• Develop organizational Skills
• Develop time management Skills
• Develop Social Skills
• Develop self-awareness
• Overcome problems

Social and Emotional Counsellors also sometimes just listen to students and provide company!

 2  What influenced you to become a school counsellor?

A popular ‘90s TVB teleplay! I love the play and every time I saw the therapist in this show I told myself: I want to be like her!

 3  How does Social-Emotional Counselling help our students?

We listen and support. We provide company and we do not judge. 

 4   What is the counselling theory or approach that you most closely follow?

I’ve had years of training in Psychodynamics, two years in Klein theory and also two years of training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, so in a practical sense, I tend to use a blended approach, based on the specifics of the situation.

 5   How have students reacted to Social-Emotional Counselling so far?

I was a school counsellor back in 2003, I found that students nowadays are more open to counselling, they are more willing to seek help from counsellors than before.

 6  Do you have any suggestions for students to maintain social and emotional wellbeing?

Keep a good balance between learning and life, accept and love yourself. I found sport is always good for wellbeing.

 7  Do you have any activities planned for students and parents?

This year, we have lunchtime activities planned for our students. They include mindfulness practise, colouring, sand play and OH card play. We also have a series of lectures, workshops and group sessions lined up.

For parents, we have prepared three lectures for our Friday parent academy this year, we also have an online parenting reading club. We will actively participate in the parent coffee morning sessions. We are planning several topic-based group sessions.